


Death Walks Among Us

by CrazyCatMeow



Series: MC YouTube and HermitCraft one shots/ short stories [18]
Category: Hermitcraft
Genre: Corpse Tango, Game of Death, Gen, Tango is missing half of his chest and doesn’t know, demise - Freeform, he’s fine, sorta - Freeform, still dead tango, tango came back to life oddly fast
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:22:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27091978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrazyCatMeow/pseuds/CrazyCatMeow
Summary: When demise ended Tango came back to life a little fast. Ever since he made Decked Out he’s been oddly happy when someone dies.
Relationships: nope
Series: MC YouTube and HermitCraft one shots/ short stories [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2117622
Comments: 8
Kudos: 55





	Death Walks Among Us

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Halloween!

It all started with a book, just a simple book. It’s title The Book Of Demise. Inside were the rules for a game. A game of death. Once you sign your name you are magically bound to finish the game. The game ends with Grian blowing Doc up and leaving Iskall as the winner. 

After Demise ended Tango was one of the first to spring back to normal. Nothing seemed off, everything felt the same. In hindsight that should’ve been one of the first red flags. As the game of death ends the server is quickly left and the hermits hop to a new world. Where the game's existence fades from the forefront of their minds. Of course, it’s mentioned here in there but it’s never truly the main focus.

At the start of the new world Tango immediately starts designing his iron farm and working out the perfect way to kill the golems. Impulse and Zedaph are slightly concerned at how fast he’s started making plans to get iron but leave him alone. 

As the start of the new season progresses some things don’t add up. Tango seems different somehow, almost as if he’s a toned-down version of himself. He’s less Tango than he should be. He’s less excitable, nothing seems to truly scare him. It’s off-putting, to say the least. The way he can safely fly around explosions is a bit different than normal but overall it’s chalked up to being a better flyer. 

When Tango throws himself into work on Decked Out he’s acting more like himself. Most hermits let him be and help him out when needed.

When Tango installs the beating heart in the dungeon, Zedaph is a bit wary. The sound is unnerving to him and Impulse but it seems to make Tango happy so they let it be.

At long last, the game is opened and the Hermits are finally allowed to play.

For weeks the chat is filled with people dying to the beasts of the dungeon. Tango always responds the same way. With a smiley face or something similar.

He relishes in the deaths, somehow it makes him feel better, more alive. In the middle of a conversation, someone dies in the dungeon and he smiles. The deaths make him feel likes he’s actually done something. He’s made something truly deadly.

“Hey, Imp, do you think Tango’s ok? He’s been acting really weird lately,” Zedaph murmurs as he sits next to Impulse outside of his base.

Frowning Impulse looks up, “I don’t know. He’s been acting fine for the most part but he seems to be trying to find creative ways to kill things without direct PVP,” at this, he trails off, “Oh no.”

“What’s oh no?” Zedaph asks growing nervous.

“He’s been avoiding PVP this season hasn’t he?”

“Yeah… oh no, I think I see where you’re going with this.”

“We need Scar or Cub.”

Zedaph nods, “I’ll get Tango to his base. You find one of them?”

Impulse shutters and nods, “I hope we’re wrong.”

“Me too, me too.”

As Zedaph rushes off to find Tango a few more Death Messages pop up, all from Decked Out and a lot more than ever before. Tango must have opened up the duo mode. Wincing he runs faster. He makes it into the game and immediately jumps down into the Redstone. 

He finds Tango adding more loot boxes.

“Hey, Tango can I ask you something?”

“Uh, sure what’s up?” Tango asks as he pulls the nervous Zed over to a chair. 

“Uh, well wekindaneedyouoveratyourbase.”

Tango raises an eyebrow, “One more time?”

“Sorry, we need to talk to you over at your base. I know you’re busy but it’s important.”

“Ok, you came all the way down here to ask me so it’s gotta be important,” Tango mutters as he follows Zedaph out of the dungeon. 

Impulse lands on the steps of the town hall and walks up to Scar's office, “Scar, are you here?”

“Yeah, come in.”

As Impulse steps in the room Scar grins up at him, “I have a slight problem.”

“Problems would go to the enforcer,” Scar states a bit nervously shuffling slightly towards the door.

“Not that kind of problem. I think Tango might still be demised.”

Scar is clearly taken aback, “Explain why?” He asks as he pulls out a notebook sitting down at his desk; he did have to nudge Jellie slightly out of the way.

“If you think about it he’s still following the rules, no outright killing. He’s been sticking to traps. He gets too excited when someone dies in Decked Out.”

“I see where you’re coming from,” Scar nods, “and you want me to see if his current form is an illusion or something?”

Impulse nods, “Yeah.”

“Where is Tango now?”

“Zedaph is bringing him over to his base.”

Scar pulls a few crystals and a chunk of Vex magic out of a chest. 

As all four arrive at Toon Towers they all take seats in Tango’s living room.

Zedaph starts, “Tango, you’ve been acting kinda weird this season and not your normal weird.”

“What do you mean?” Tango asks growing concerned.

“You’ve been acting almost like you're invincible. The sheer amount of ravagers you’ve collected this season, that’s not safe.” Impulse says leaning forwards a bit.

Tango purses his lips, “I still don’t follow.”

With a deep breath, Zedaph exclaims, “We think you might still be demised.”

Tango barks out a laugh, “I think I would know if I was dead.”

“I know, but think about it, you’ve been following the PVP rules,” Impulse explains and Scar moves forward.

“If it’s ok with you I’ll cast a get rid of illusions spell just to be sure.” 

“Yeah sure, you’re not gonna find anything,” Tango agrees.

Stepping forward Scar nods, “Can I use a sleep spell as well.”

“Eh, sure why not.”

Scar starts the spell and Tango slumps down fast asleep. Carefully they move him to his bedroom and start the next part of the spell. As they begin the first thing they notice is Tango’s chest completely caves in. His skin turns gray as does his hair. As the spell is complete they take his jacket off and gasp. The entirety of his frontal rib cage is gone. His organs, gone. It’s just a dark empty cavity. It looks like an explosion tore him apart. Which is exactly what happened. Impulse winces slightly at the memory. 

“That’s not good,” Zedaph states as Scar wakes Tango.

As he slowly blinks and wakes up he looks down, “I swear if you’ve pranked me-” he stops talking as he struggles to try and sit up.

Impulse carefully helps him sit up, “It’s not a prank.”

“Sorry but I don’t buy it. You have to be pranking me.”

Shaking his head Zedaph walks forwards, takes Tango’s hand, and pushes it towards his chest. Tango goes along with it knowing it would stop as it hits his chest. It keeps going, till they touch his spinal column. 

With an appropriate screech, Tango flings himself away from the hand and flops back onto his bed, “Fine I’m still dead. I’m a corpse.”

Scar suddenly frowns, “I don’t feel the magic from demise. Tango, I won't be able to fix this. We need Xisuma.”

“I have one question,” Tango declares as he stares up at the ceiling, “How come I never had any problems with sitting up or something hitting my chest?”

Humming for a moment Scar answers, “There was a spell on you, it essentially acted as a placebo. You didn’t think anything was wrong so nothing was wrong. Now you know what’s happening so you get the effects full force.”

“Is there a reason why I can't move very well now but I was just fine during the game?”

Zedaph answers this time, “The game was supporting you. It acted like the missing muscles and organs for you. When the game ended you thought you were returned to normal so that magic stuck around… what I know magic stuff?” 

As Tango lays on his back he starts thinking. The room has gone silent. It’s the kind of silence where it presses down on you and you can hear your heart. Tango can’t hear it. The reality of the situation comes crashing down on him, “I’m dead,” He whispers. 

“Hey, we can fix this,” Zedaph murmurs as he carefully sits next to him.

Tango can hear his heart and shuffles closer to the warmth. Zedaph pulls him up to a sitting position and hugs him. Tango leans into the warmth and listens to the heartbeat.

With a gasp Impulse realizes something, “He made a heartbeat for the dungeon to make up for the lack of his own.”

Scar looks up from his communicator, “Xisuma’s coming, he’ll be here soon.”

A few minutes later the very frazzled admin runs in, “Are you ok?”

“I’m dead,” Tango states, he’d been wrapped in blankets after he had panicked.

“Besides that.”

“Oh, yeah, I’m doing just fine besides the fact I’m missing half of my chest,” As he says this he pulls the blanket he’d been burritoed in down to show Xisuma the gaping hole.

“Oh goodness,” Xisuma yelps, “Demised? Ok, I’m going to try and reverse this.”

After a few minutes of digging through the code Xisuma looks up, “I can fix this, but you need to hold him down.”

“Why?” Tango asks as he lays down with some help from Impulse and wiggles out of the blankets.

Impulse speaks up, “Tango, when I was demised I was just missing part of my skull. I had to get struck by lightning to get back. You have to regrow organs, and bones. It’s not going to feel good.”

Tango swallows and nervously looks up, “Do it fast.”

Xisuma nods and starts the process of total respawn. Tango grits his teeth as a wave of pure agony washes over him. The first thing back to normal is his skin tone and hair. The skin around the gaping hole on his chest turns a bright angry red and small bits of chard skin flakes away. His ribs reform next, he unconsciously tightens his grip on Zedaph’s hands. Skin overtakes the hole then muscles form, and organs retake their spots in his abdomen.

His heartbeats as he gasps for air. A moment later and an odd look crosses his face and he collapses backward unconscious. 

Impulse jumps back slightly as Scar grabs some splash potions, “What happened?”

Since Xisuma is practically buried in the admin panels Scar answers, “He passed out, probably from a mixture of pain and the shock of having organs.”

Zedaph walks over and grabs a health potion, “My question is how did he eat?”

“Easy, the magic fooled him into thinking he wasn’t hungry. His heath would regen normally as long as he didn’t really notice anything off.”

“So, basically he didn’t need food,” Impulse summarizes.

“Yeah.”

Closing the admin panels Xisuma looks over, “He’s the only one.”

Staring blankly at the admin, Zedaph asks, “The only what?”

“Oh, he’s the only one that didn’t come back properly.”

They sit in silence for a while, Scar heads back to the town hall. As they wait for Tango to wake up Zedaph paces anxiously.

When he starts to wake up Xisuma kneels next to him and runs a few scans, making sure he’s alright. He carefully sits up and doubles over clutching his stomach. It’s been empty for so long that there’s only hydrochloric acid.

Impulse sits next to him and helps him drink some water. When he’s done, he gives him a bowl of beetroot stew. 

As he finishes he stands up. Wincing slightly as the still raw skin gets pulled a little. His legs shake a little as he continues walking. 

Running forwards Zedaph grabs his hand and drags him back, “Nope, you’re staying here.”

Tango rolls his eyes but compiles, he hums softly as he listens to the chatter of the other, “Impulse, I’m alive…”

“You are,” Impulse grins as Tango smiles, “I do have a question for you… when people would die to Decked Out how did that make you feel.”

Instantly Tango’s face drops, “Happy, it made me feel like I did something right.”

Xisuma hums softly, “You know what I did in Demise. I made Bdubs and Keralis kill Cleo.”

Tango sighs, “But that was during the game. I’ve been doing this for fun.”

The communicators buzz with a new death message, Ren was killed by Etho’s ravager.

“And how did that make you feel,” Zedaph asks.

“Well, it sucks that Ren lost but Etho gets a new key.”

“That’s a bit better,” Xisuma murmurs, “it’s getting late you need to sleep. I’ll be back in the morning.”

With that, the admin disappears, probably to his base to make sure Tango is fine.

“I’m thinking sleepover,” Zedaph laughs as he flops down next to Tango.

As the three start to fall asleep Tango is left awake. The sounds of blood rushing through his body, his heart beating, different organs performing their functions after such a long time is overwhelming.

Finally, it all makes sense. Why he'd been acting so strange, why he'd been able to survive all those things earlier on in the season. Tango rolls over and looks up at the blank ceiling. His head is much too full to sleep.

That’s how they find him in the morning, staring blankly at nothing.

“Did you sleep?” Impulse asks as he frowns at Tango.

“No.”

Zedaph frowns, “Are you ok?”

“I think I’m ok, it was just too loud to sleep.”

Nodding Impulse pulls Tango up and into the kitchen… “Tango, why don’t you have any food?”

Shrugging he answers, “Uh, I don’t know.”

“Alright then,” Zedaph laughs as he rummages around in a chest. 

Tango sits at the table and pokes at his chest, “For not knowing I was dead, this is really weird.”

“What do you mean?” Impulse asks as he sits next to him.

Tango sighs, “Everything feels so weird… I can feel my heart and all my organs working. It’s not something you notice.”

Zedaph frowns as he sets a pile of carrots on the table, “Something else is bothering you I can tell. What’s wrong?”

“It’s weird, I think being dead messed my emotions up? Like…”

“Your emotions are stronger than normal?” Impulse finishes.

“Yeah, I can feel things…” 

They continue talking as Tango slowly eats, as they head to the Iron golem farms killing mechanism he starts getting a little nervous, “Why did I make this?”

“It’s really cool,” Zedaph murmurs as he pulls Tango towards the glass platform.

Impulse hums slightly, “You know what, your emotions weren’t really working. So that’s probably why you're terrified.

“I’m not terrified,” Tango squeaks as he presses as close to the wall as possible.

“Sure,” Zedaph laughs as they head downstairs.

When the reach the grass Tango sits down and takes a moment to breathe and just look up at the sky, “Impulse? Don’t we have a Boomer job soon?”

“Oh, yeah we need to meet up with Bdubs. Are you going to be ok? We can reschedule. ”

“No, no I’ll be fine. We need to do this job.”

Impulse looks skeptical but agrees. They say goodbye to Zedaph and head out. As they arrive at the shopping district Bdubs grins up at them, “Why hello there.”

“Hey, man.” Tango greets as he high fives him.

Standing up Bdubs walks over to a couple of shulker boxes. Gathering them up they head off towards the area that they would be blowing up. 

“So Tango,” Bdubs starts as they prepare to light the TNT, “When I was getting this stuff ready Xisuma showed up and told me not to let you fly through the explosion.”

“I agree with X, don’t fly through the explosion,” Impulse says as he places a button. 

“What, why?” Tango pouts.

Impulse flicks his eyes over towards Bdubs before whispering, “You were dead, you probably didn’t feel pain that well.”

They argue back-and-forth for a minute before Impulse drags Tango close enough to the TNT to feel the blast and the heat, but not close enough that it would kill him.

As the explosions go off Tango drops screaming as it starts burning him. Impulse flyes down and picks him up. 

Blinking tears from his eyes he carefully sits up, “You win.”

Nodding Impulse hands him a potion of healing, “Remember, you’re human.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed reading and please leave a comment.


End file.
